Street-cleaner



LL. HOPKTNS. STREET CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1910.

1,328,788. Patented Ja,n.20,1920.

I. L l HOPKINS.

STREET CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED FEILza, I9Io.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1,828,738, Patented Jan. 20,1920.

JAMES' L. HOPKINS, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

STREET-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 20, 1920.

Application filed. February 23, 1910. Serial No. 545,429.

T0 all fic/wm 'it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, J .inns L. HorKiNs, a citizen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street Cleaners, of which the following is a speciification.

This invention relates to an improvement in street cleaners and has for its object to provide a traveling mechanism adapted to flushing street surfaces, or sprinkling street surfaces, and to apply antiseptic and disinfectant solutions to street surfaces after they are cleansed by flushing.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device en'ibodying my invention, showing portions broken away. l

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view showing the manner in which the sprinkling nozzles are 'adjustably mounted.

As shown in the drawings I employ a traveling frame 4 upon which is monnted a tubular casing 5 containing the divisional bulk heads G and 7. The bull: heads G and 7 divide vthe tubular casing 5 into the air chamber S and water chambers 9 and 10. The respective functions of the water chambers 9 and 10 will be hereinafter specifically described.

The front Water chamber 9 is connected with the air chamber 8 by means of the tubular connection 11 which is provided'with a front valve 12 and a rear valve: At the rear of the valve 13 a horizontal pipe 14 is provided, affording communication between the interior of the water chamber 9 and the outer atmosphere; the opening ofthe pipe 14 being controlled by the valve 15.

At the bottom ofthe water chamber 9 I provide a dome or sediment chamber y16 which communicates with flushing heads 17 by the depending pipe connections 18; the supply of flushing fluid to the flushing heads 17 being controlledv by means 'cfa valve l19 which is operated by a4 lever 20, which, iii turn,is actuated by the b ar 21,'cominunicat: ing with the lever bar 22,7whichlever bar 22 terminates in thehandlefj23 alongside of the drivers ser 24 se' ,Fig- 1). v The rear water b 1 itsb tto'm'with the nt" by means et the iilef controlledlbyithe va A, .Y top therear water olianiber 10'l is''connected to the interior of the water chamber 9 by means of the tubular connection 27, which is closed or opened by means of the valve 2S. The rear portion of the tubular connection 27 is provided with the horizontally projecting pipe 29. whose outlet is controlled by the valve 30; the purpose of the pipe 29 beingl to admit air to the interior of the Water chamber 10 from the exterior of the machine, when desired.

Mounted over the -rear water chamber 1() I provide a dome 31 provided with a cap 32, the function of the dome 31 being to receive and hold the concentrated antiseptic solution, such as crude carbolic acid.

At the bottom of the water chamber 10 I provide the depending pipe 33 which communicates with the horizontal pipe ittings 34, at the outer ends of which the sprinkler heads are adjustably mounted. The pipe fittings 34 are provided with collars 36-36 `located on the outer sides of the valves 37-37. The pipes 38-88 terminate in the collars S56-36 and are fed by the de pending pipe sections 39-39 which extend from the bottom of the dome 31 to said pipe sections 23S-38. The pipe sections 39-39 are provided with valves 40-40.

As illustrated in the drawings, it is desirable to have all of these valves 19M-19, 37-37 and 40-40 simultaneously operated and in the form illustrated in the drawings I haveyconnected the bar 21 to a bar 41 which, at its rear end, is pivoted to they bar 42 at a point where it is pivoted to the bar 43. The bars 43 (it being understood that the lever mechanism is the same upon both sides of the machine) control the operation of the valves 40-40. At their rear ends the bars 42--42 are pivotally connected to bars 44f-44 by which the valves 37-37 are operated.

Water is supplied to the interior of the chambers 9 and 10 by means of the inlet valve 45 which is connected to the city water main by means of the'hose connection 4G., the inlet valve 45 being provided with the check 47 to prevent the retrograde flow of the water.

' The water received through the valve 45 is fedthrough the horizontal pipe 48 extend-` ingmxially. through 'the rear.i water chamber 1Q and/"ire the "inferior idf the f-ifort' w er chamber 91"' The endoftb'e'pipe 4'8is provided 'with checkvalvel 49 "to f' prevent the retrograde flowwoffthe'waterl The opening 50 serves to admit water from the pipe 48 to the interior of the rear water chamber 10. The pressure of the force exerted by the source of water supply serves to force compressed air through the tubular connection l1 into the air chamber S, and this, pressure may be exerted by the water in the front water chamber 9 alone, or by the water in both the chambers 9 and l0, this being a matteiI controlled by means of the valve 28.

hen the device of my invention is in use for the dual purpose of flushing street surfaces and subsequentlyY depositing a film of antiseptic, disinfectant or germicidal solution thereon, the mode of operation of my device is as follows.

The valves 26 and 2S will be closed before the operation of filling the machine. The valve 30 will be opened so as to release the air pressure formed in the rear water chamber l by the admission of water thereto. The valve 1.2 will be opened so as to permit of the free communication between the front water chamber 9 and the air chamber 8.

When the operation of filling has proceeded to the desired point, the chamber 8 will be charged with compressed air, the front water chamber 9 will be charged with water under the pressure exerted by the compressed air, and the rear water chamber 10 will be charged with water under atmospheric pressure.

The machine being thus charged with the desired water supply, the flushing of the streets surface is effected by the discharge of water, forwardly and laterally, through the flushing nozzles 17-17.

The sprinkling nozzles -35 are of such length and will be so adjusted as to deposit a film of water from the rear water chamber 10 upon the streets surface in the rear of the swath that is iiushed by the discharge of water under pressure from the flushing heads 17-17.

The admixture of any desired antiseptic, disinfectant or germicidal solution to the water discharged from the sprinkling nozzles 35 is effected by means of the depending pipes 39-39 from the dome 31, in which dome 31 the concentrated solution is carried; the rate of flow of such concentrated solution being controlled by the valves 51-51 seated in the pipes 39-39, and the c0ncentrated solution being admitted to the pipe connection 34 at the point where the pipes 38-38 enter the collars 363-36.

The valves 19-19, LO- i0 and 37-37 will be opened or closed simultaneously by means of the pressure upon the lever bar 22 so that economy in the use of the antiseptic, disinfectant or ermicidal solution is effected.

The macine be used for the purpose o f distributing the antiseptic, disinfectant or germicidal solution only,` by` means of valve 52 intercepting the flow of water to the flushing heads 17-17, the valve 26 being left open while the machine is being so used. Likewise, the machine may be used only as a flushing machine, by intercepting the flow through the spraying nozzles 35-35, by means of the valves 53-53.

I have thus provided a device which may be used as a street flushing machine only; as a street sprinkling machine only; or for the dual purpose of ushing the streets surface with water under pressure and subsequently depositing a film or spray of anti septic, disinfectant or germicidal solution upon the path which has been cleaned by flushing.

Among the advantages incident tothe combined and several uses of the machine, there may be particularly noted the fact that its flushing function alone will serve the purpose of removing heavy deposits on the streets surface, such as snow. It may be desired to flush the streets alone during normal health conditions in a community, and to adopt the additional treatment of the flushed surface by antiseptic, disinfectant or germicidal solutions when floods or epidemics or other sources of danger tothe public health demand extraordinary sanitary precautions.

Furthermore, the plurality of functions performed by the machine existing in a single machine render the best scientific cleansing of street surfaces possible in the smaller towns and villages where the com- 100 munity demands sanitary precautions, but is unable to acquire and operate separately flushing machines and machines for the distribution of antiseptic, disinfectant or germicidal solutions. 105

As is well known, in the operation of the street flushing machines which employ water under pressure, the admixture of chlorin or other disinfectant -solution to the water contained in the machine and used in l l0 iushing results in great waste and high expense, as the water is forcibly carried through the gutters into the sewers and carries 01T with it the costly solutions with which it has been impregnated.

It is the primary object of my invention to `apply the antiseptic, disinfectant or germicidal solution to the surface cleansed by flushing, immediately after it has been cleansed, and at a point immediately in the 190 rear and in the path of the flushing heads, depositing such solution in the same swath as that covered by the operation of the flushing heads, and depositing it by gravity l alone, so that it will not be carried off 125 through the gutters into the sewers, as is the case where the solution is expelled by super-atmospheric pressure. I

In order to permit the commingling of the solution in the dome 31 with the water 13o tained in the dome 31 is fed to the interior of the sediment chamber or dome 16 where it is commingled with the discharge of the front water chamber and discharged through the flushing heads 17 17. y y

This mode of operation will be employed only where it is desired to treat the debris upon the .streets surface with antiseptic or germicidal solution, and the amount of the solution employed will be much greater than where it is discharged through the sprinkling heads -35, as it will be carried by the air pressure under which it is discharged forwardly and laterally into the gutters with the debris washed from the. streets surface and thence into the sewers.

When the tubular connection 54 is employed, the valves -40 will be disconnected from the bars ,t3-JLB, and will be left in closed position so that the solution from the dome 3l will be diverted into the tubes 54-54.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to have secured to me by the grant of Letters Patent7 is:

l. In a. street cleaner, the combination of a traveling frame; a front mechanism carried by the frame for f iushing the street surface; a rear mechanism carried by the frame and adapted to deposit a germicidal solution upon the flushed surface; and a series of valves whereby the operations of both said mechanisms are simultaneously controlled, substantially as described.

2. In a street-washer, a traveling frame; an air-chamber carried by said frame; two water chambers carried by said frame, and connnunicating with each other at their tops; a valve controlled connection between the air-chamber and the upper portion of one of said water chambers; a valve-controlled water-connection between the lower portions of the waterchambers; a flushinghead mounted on one of said water-chambers; and a sprinklerhead mounted on the other water-chamber, substantially as described.

3. In a street-cleaner, the combination of a traveling frame; an air-chamber; a front water-chamber and a` rear water-chamber, carried bysaid frame; means whereby the contents of either or both' water-chambers are expelled by air pressure from the air chamber; one or more ushing heads connected to the front water-chamber, 'and one or more sprinkling heads connected to the rear water-chamber; and means for supplying germicidal solution to the sprinkling heads in admixture with the contents of the rear water-chamber, substantially as described. l

4. In a street-cleaner, the combination of a traveling frame; an air-chamber; a front water-chamber and a rear watenchamber, carried by said frame; means whereby the contents of either or both water-chambers are expelled by air pressure from the air chamber; one or more flushing heads connected to the front water-chamber, and one or more sprinkling heads connected to the rear water-chamber; means for supplying germicidal solution to the sprinkling heads in admixture with the contents of the rear water-chamber; and valves whereby the flow of water from both water-chambers and of germicidal solution to the sprinkling heads may be simultaneously controlled, substantially as described.

5. In a street-cleaner, the combination of a traveling frame; an air-chamber; a front water-chamber and a rear water-chamber, carried by said frame; means whereby the contents of either or both water-chambers are expelled by air pressure from the sair chamber; one or more flushing heads connected tothe front water-chamber, and one or more sprinkling heads connected to the rear water-chamber;` means for supplying germicidal ,solution to the sprinkling heads in admixture with the contents of the rear water-chamber; yand valves whereby the flow of water from bothy water-cl'iambers and of germicidal solution to the sprinkling hea-ds may be simultaneously o-r independently controlled, substantially as described.

6. In a traveling street-cleaner, a compressed-air-chamber; a front watercham ber; a rear water-chamber; a dome adapted to receive and hold germicidal solution; a 'flushing head fed by the front water-chamber; a sprinklinghead fed by the rear waterchamber; connecting means leading from the dome to the sprinkling-head; means for controlling the flow of germicidal solution' to the sprinklinghead, and means for simultaneously controlling the discharge of the lushing-head and sprinkling-head, substantially as described.

7 In a traveling street-cleaner, a compressed-airchamber; a front water-chamber; a rear water-chamber; a dome adapted to receive and hold germicidal solution; a flushing head fed by the front water-chamber; a sprinkling-head fed by the rear waterchamber; connecting means leading from the dome to the sprinkling-head; means for controlling the low of gerlnicidal solution to the sprinkling-head. and means for simultaneously or independently controlling the discharge of the flushing-head and sprinkling-head, substantially as described.

8. In a street-cleaner, a traveling frame, an air chamber carriedthereby, a flushing mechanism and a sprinkling mechanism mounted on the frame; means whereby the flushing and sprinkling mechanisms may be connected to or disconnected from the airchamber; and means for supplying a germicidal solution to the discharge of the sprinkling mechanism, substantially as described.

9. In a street cleaner, a traveling frame, an air chamber carried thereby, a flushing mechanism and a sprinkling mechanism mountedon the frame; means whereby the flushing and sprinkling mechanisms may be connected to or disconnected from the airchamber, and connected to or disconnected from each other; and means for supplying a germicidal solution to the discharge of the sprinkling mechanism, substantially as described.

10. In a street cleaner, a traveling frame, an air chamber carried thereby, a flushing mechanism and a sprinkling mechanism mounted on the frame; means whereby the flushing and sprinkling mechanisms may be connected to or disconnected from the airchamber; and means for supplying a germicidal solution to the discharge of the sprinkling mechanism or to the discharge of the flushing mechanism, substantially as described.

11. In a street cleaner, a traveling frame, an air chamber carried thereby, a flushing mechanism and a sprinkling mechanism mounted on the frame; means whereby the flushing and sprinkling mechanisms may be connected to or disconnected from the airchamber and connected to or disconnected from each other; and means for supplying a germicidal solution to the discharge of the sprinkling mechanism or to the discharge of the flushing mechanism, substantially as described.

12. In a street cleaner, the combination of a traveling frame, flushing means and sprinkling means carried by said frame, a germicidal solution supply connected with ysaid sprinkling means, said sprinkling means positioned rearwardly of the flushing means thereby leaving a germicidal solution upon the flushed surface of the street.

18. In a street cleaner, the combination of a traveling frame, means carried therebyrfor flushing the street surface, and a second means carried by said frame to the rear of the first mentioned means for depositing a germicidal solution upon the street surface subsequent to the iushing operation.

14. In a street cleaner, the combination of a traveling frame, means carried by the frame for flushing the street surface thereby cleaning the same, and simultaneously operating means carried by the frame to the rear of the first named means for subsequently depositing a germicidal solution upon the cleaned surface of the street.

15. In a street. cleaner, a mechanism for flushing the street surface thereby cleaning the same, in combination with a following means for subsequently depositing a film of germicidal solution upon the cleaned surface of the street.

16. In a street cleaner, a mechanism for flushing the street surface with water under pressure thereby cleaning the surface, in combination with a following means for subsequently depositing a film of germicidal solution upon and across the cleaned surface of the street.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES L. HOPKINS.

Witnesses:

ALFRED A. EIcKs, WALTER C. STEIN. 

